Kim Irwin Dildine is an American actor and film producer. His career as an actor has spanned more than two decades beginning as a Background actor and Stand-In in the film Natural Born Killers.

Kim has been on 90 Film, TV, Commercial and Video sets over the last 25 years. He has performed in 26 stage productions from community theatre to the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

In 2006 Kim provided the voice for the Head Doctor in the film 3:16 when the actor who played the role was unavailable to dub his own dialog.

Metal Man was Kim’s first Los Angeles feature project in 2008. The film was distributed in several European countries. The film was lambasted by many reviewers.^[1]

Kim appears in the 2009 feature film Who Stole the Electric Car? playing the role of Hubert. Hubert is a jack-of-all-trades and tinkerer. As a result of this role Kim has learned more about alternative fuel cars and has become a proponent of Electric Vehicles.

In 2010 Kim made his first TV appearance playing a Principal in the episode Risky Business^[2] on Criminal Minds. Unfortunately his role was cut for time.

Kim played Mack Hartley on the short-lived comedy series Up All Night with Kurt Magnum in 2012. He was a series regular appearing in every episode.

Kim produced his first film project, Apollo & Thor in 2013 and was directed by Geoffrey Mark and written by Richard Kim. Besides being the Executive Producer Kim appears on-camera playing the father, son, and alien half brother.

On May 11th, 2016, Kim appeared in an episode of the TV show Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. Kim played a reporter who gets a gun jammed into his neck by one of the criminals.

Early life

Kim was born in Hammond, Indiana and was raised there through first grade. His mother, Ruth, was a homemaker. His father, Floyd, was a self-made businessman. The name Dildine still elicits fond memories among many northwest Indiana residents. Floyd’s business was located in Hammond at the time of Kim’s birth. The business expanded to a second location in Highland, Indiana. The family also relocated to Highland and this is where Kim grew up.

In his childhood, Kim was stricken with Perthes Disease. The condition manifested in his left hip joint. This required him to walk with crutches while his left leg was immobilized. The condition lasted for nearly four years, through all of third, fourth, fifth, and most of sixth grades. This is the time when boys would normally get involved in sports, but with his mobility limited Kim took up sedentary activities, such as playing the guitar. Kim also had a small Lionel train layout that occupied some of his time. During this time he also got involved with Electronics as a hobby, and he assembled all his electronic instruments from kits. Candle making was another hobby Kim enjoyed.

In his teens, Kim flew model rockets and radio controlled airplanes. Kim has been interested in science, aviation, and outer space since he was young. Kim followed the America Space Program from Mercury to Apollo. In High School he focused on Math and Science. He also started programming computers and assembled his first computer from a kit. Kim also restored Volkswagen cars and trucks. His fascination with theatre also started in high school where he performed in three musicals that were part of his choir class activities.

Kim was never afraid of hard work; he earned spending money by working at the family business and briefly worked as a mechanic at a Volkswagen dealership. At the family business Kim performed the duties of a janitor, bicycle repairman, deliveryman, lawnmower repairman, model train repairman, sales clerk, and saw sharper. Kim learned many skills working with his father in and around the business including Advertising, Auto Restoration, Business Management, Carpentry, Electrical Wiring, Inventory Control, Painting, Plumbing, Power Washing, Roofing, Welding, and Window Repair.

Kim’s first computer programming class was the summer of 1972 at Highland High School. His first time working professionally with computers was a summer job before his senior year of high school in 1973. Kim was a bit of a computer whiz kid at the age of 17.

Early Acting Career

In 1993 Kim’s passion for acting rekindled when Oliver Stone came to his hometown of Hammond to shoot Natural Born Killers. Kim saw an article in the local paper about Oliver Stone bringing his movie to town and was scouting for Extras. Kim submitted himself to Casting and was eventually called to play a prison guard. He spent three days working among inmates at Stateville Penitentiary. His first day working on set and the scene ended up in the final cut. Kim shares the screen with the likes of Tom Sizemore and Tommy Lee Jones. This was the beginning of a four plus year period where Kim worked as a background actor on more than a dozen film and television productions.

Between 1993 and 1998 Kim worked in Chicago and surrounding areas in the films The Weatherman, Losing Isaiah, Miracle on 34th Street, While You Where Sleeping, The Relic, Primal Fear, Michael, The Chamber, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Richie Rich, The Visitors, Babies Day Out, Chicago Cab, Mercury Rising. Kim also worked as a background actor in Television shows Unsolved Mysteries, Early Edition, March in the Windy City, The Untouchables, Turks, and ER. In 2007 Kim worked on the film The Dark Knight. This was his last Chicago based Background acting job.

July of 1997 marked Kim’s return to the stage in Runaways, a play about teenage runaways and the issues they face. Kim not only had to act in this production, but also sing.^[3]

In Dear Ruth, directed by Mike Jewitt, Kim played Albert Kummer. A review written in the Northwest Indiana Times newspaper says, “Albert isn’t at all appreciative of his fiancees sudden morale-boosting campaign but, to his patriotic credit, he helps to sustain the fantasy. Dildine has perhaps the greatest challenge, with Albert being the bow-tied nerd that we know should not get that gal, but he makes him likable – and strong enough, in a near-wimpy sort of way, that we know he would survive should he actually lose Ruth, and would probably remain “Uncle Albert” to her kids.”^[4]

In the play Shadowlands, directed by Robert T. Clark, Kim played Dr. Maurice Oakley, a compatriot of C.S. Lewis. He received many compliments on his performance and the play was reviewed^[5] in the Northwest Indiana Times newspaper.

In 2003, Kim played the title role of Mr. Miyagi in the stage play Miyagi! A Karate Kid Musical produced by New Millennium Theatre Company, at Boxer Rebellion Theater in Chicago. The Chicago Reader reviewed the play and said, “Kim Irwin Dildine was hilariously pseudo-profound in the title role.”^[6]

Kim also appeared in various roles in the plays, The Golden Goose, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Valedictions, Oater, The Good Doctor, The Wizard of Oz, City of Angels, Shakes Rattle and Roll, Story Theatre^[7], Inherit the Wind, Harvey, The Taming of the Shrew, I Know What You Did Last Shermer, Sustenance, Political Masks 2004, Can You Hear Their Voices?, Cubicle! An Office Space Musical, and The Consul.

Chicago is where Kim became a professional stage actor, his most notable being Ariadne Auf Naxos at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. It was also in Chicago that Kim began working in the Film and TV industry. His acting and Improv training began in Chicago studying Improv at the Second City Training Center Chicago. In Chicago he booked his first SAG commercial from the first audition his first agent sent him on.

Personal life

Kim married his high school sweetheart, Robin, in 1975 and his first home was in Hammond, IN bought in 1976. Kim supported and raised a family in this home doing computer programming. He has two daughters; Amy and Jamie.

For over a decade Kim owned and operated three computer businesses. He sold, configured, installed, and maintained computer systems. He also provided computer-programming services.

Chicago was a second home where Kim worked most of his 40+ year career in Information Technology. In the last few years before moving to Los Angeles Kim rented an apartment in the city. This eased the stress of daily commuting to and from Chicago and allowed him to take acting classes and to perform in plays and films.

Kim taught briefly at a Junior College in Gary, IN. This experience brought Kim a great appreciation for the teaching profession.

Kim rehabbed three houses in which he did all of the demolition, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, etc. He moved his family into the first house he rehabbed. He rehabbed his first house after renting it for a few years and then sold it. The third house was a gut rehab that became his mother’s house until her passing. Kim was the primary caregiver for his mother. She passed away in June 2006. Kim moved to Los Angeles in August 2007.

Kim took a Real Estate course and passed the State exam in Indiana on the first try. He maintained his license for two years and let it laps.

Kim led an effort to preserve the historic Paramount Theater in Hammond. Ultimately the effort was unsuccessful and the building was replaced with a Federal courthouse.

In his spare time Kim would explore his artistic side by turning would-be firewood into decorative items on the lathe. He is also a connoisseur of malt whisky and has a collection Scotch from shuttered distilleries. Kim was a member of the Midwest Single Malt Appreciation Society in Chicago. After moving to California Kim linked up with the fledgling LA Scotch Club and has witnessed its growth over the years.

Needless to say Kim is a Renaissance man and jack-of-all-trades. Kim picked up a substantial amount of useful life skills over the years, Including; Actor, Advertiser, Auto Body Restoration, Bookkeeper, Bicycle Repairman, Auto Restoration, Business Owner, Candle Maker, Carpenter, Computer Operator, Computer Programmer, Computer Repairman, Concrete Resurfacer, Deliveryman, Electrician, Electronic Assembly, Gardener, Guitar Player, Home Rehabber/Remodeler, Inventory Control, Janitor, Landscaper, Lawn Mower Repairman, Model Aviator, Model Railroader, Model Rocketeer, Model Train Repairman, Painter, Plumbing Power Washing, Producer, Real Estate Agent, Retail Sales Clerk, Roofer, Singer, Solderer, Songwriter, Teacher, Tiling, Tuck Pointing, Welding, Window Repairing, Whisky Connoisseur, Woodworker.

Political Interests

Kim ran for Councilman-at-Large on the GOP ticket in his hometown of Hammond, Indiana in 1987 then again in 1991. He won the primary in ‘87, but lost in the general election to the three Democratic candidates. In January of 1991 Kim announced his candidacy for city council of Hammond on the GOP ticket.^[8] He made his announcement in front of the defunct Paramount Theater. Kim was the first candidate to announce his primary election bid. In February 1991 Kim filed to run for Hammond’s Councilman-at-Large on Republican ticket.^[9] His platform entailed overall city cleanup, enforcement of building codes and the closing of loopholes. After an unsuccessful race, in August 1991 Kim, well known for his efforts to restore the Paramount Theater and a supporter of Historic preservation, was appointed to the Hammond Historic Preservation Commission.^[10]

References

1. “IMDB Reviews & Ratings for Metal Man”. IMDB. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
2. “Risky Business”. Criminal Minds Wiki. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
3. “Modern musical aims to raise consciousness about teens on the  : Uncategorized”. nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
4. “‘Dear Ruth’ takes on a global conflict from a living room  : Uncategorized”. nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
5. “Touching story draws ‘Shadowlands’ into spotlight  : Uncategorized”. nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
6. Bommer, Lawrence. “Miyagi! A Karate Kid Musical”. Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
7. “Improv takes center stage with ‘Story Theatre’  : Uncategorized”. nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
8. “Dildine announces candidacy for city council  : Uncategorized”. nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
9. “At-large candidates want to freshen council  : Uncategorized”. nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
10. “Local in brief  : Uncategorized”. nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2015-10-24.

External links